Speidel is an American company that produces watches and jewelry under its own brand, as well as watch straps for third-party brands.
The brand’s history begins with its founding in 1867 by German entrepreneur Friedrich Speidel, who, together with his wife, began making gold and silver chains in the basement of his home in Pforzheim, Germany.
In 1911, Speidel’s sons Albert, Edwin, and Eugene immigrated to the United States and registered the Speidel Chain Company trademark. Over the next decades, the company became a major manufacturer of men’s chain bracelets made of precious metals.
In the 1920s, costume jewelry and watch straps were added to the line. The popularity of men’s watch straps increased dramatically due to their use in the military during World War I.
In the 1960s, the company released a collection of perfume works. The most successful in the history of the brand was the men’s fragrance British Sterling, introduced in 1966 in variations of cologne and aftershave lotion.
